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Introduction

Elizabeth’s first Archbishop of Canterbury was Matthew Parker, a former chaplain to the Queen’s mother Anne Boleyn. In 1567, he published his own translation of the Psalter into English metrical verse and at the back of the publication are nine ‘Tunes’ written by Tallis to allow the Psalms to be sung rather than said. Tallis’ Psalm Tunes are all in the same metre, so if the people wished to sing all of the Psalms, they would have to use other melodies to fit the wider variety of metres used by Parker. Each Psalm (strictly speaking, Tallis sets eight Psalms, plus the Ordinal Veni creator) is preceded by a short tag or ‘argument’ which provides a headline meditation on what is to follow, and each is concluded with a Collect or prayer. The publisher (or Tallis himself) provided a rubric, stating that the melody is found in the tenor part and that if there is a choir present, then the harmonies may be used.

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Man blest no doubt who walk’th not out In wicked men’s affairs, And stand’th no day in sinner’s way Nor sit’th in scorner’s chairs; But hath his will in God’s law still, This law to love aright, And will him use, on it to muse, To keep it day and night.

Let God arise in majesty And scattered be his foes. Yea, flee they all his sight in face, To him which hateful goes. As smoke is driv’n and com’th to naught, Repulse their tyranny. At face of fire, as wax doth melt, God’s face the bad must fly.

Why fum’th in fight the Gentiles spite, In fury raging stout? Why tak’th in hand the people fond, Vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, In counsels met thereto, Against the Lord with false accord, Against His Christ they go.

O come in one to praise the Lord And him recount our stay and health. All hearty joys let us record To this strong rock, our Lord of health. His face with praise let us prevent; His facts in sight let us denounce. Join we, I say, in glad assent. Our psalms and hymns let us pronounce.

Even like the hunted hind The waterbrooks desire, E’en thus my soul, that fainting is, To thee would fain aspire. My soul did thirst to God, to God of Life and Grace. It said e’en thus: when shall I come To see God’s lively face?

Why brag’st in malice high, O thou in mischief stout? God’s goodness yet is nigh All day to me no doubt. Thy tongue to muse all evil It doth itself inure. As razor sharp to spill, All guile it doth procure.

God grant we grace, he us embrace. In gentle part bless he our heart. With loving face shine he in place. His mercies all on us to fall. That we thy way may know all day, While we do sail this world so frail. Thy health’s reward is nigh declared, As plain as eye all Gentiles spy.

Come Holy Ghost, eternal God, Which dost from God proceed; The Father first and eke the Son, One God as we do read.

Man blest no doubt who walk’th not out In wicked men’s affairs, And stand’th no day in sinner’s way Nor sit’th in scorner’s chairs; But hath his will in God’s law still, This law to love aright, And will him use, on it to muse, To keep it day and night.

Let God arise in majesty And scattered be his foes. Yea, flee they all his sight in face, To him which hateful goes. As smoke is driv’n and com’th to naught, Repulse their tyranny. At face of fire, as wax doth melt, God’s face the bad must fly.

Why fum’th in fight the Gentiles spite, In fury raging stout? Why tak’th in hand the people fond, Vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, In counsels met thereto, Against the Lord with false accord, Against His Christ they go.

O come in one to praise the Lord And him recount our stay and health. All hearty joys let us record To this strong rock, our Lord of health. His face with praise let us prevent; His facts in sight let us denounce. Join we, I say, in glad assent. Our psalms and hymns let us pronounce.

Even like the hunted hind The waterbrooks desire, E’en thus my soul, that fainting is, To thee would fain aspire. My soul did thirst to God, to God of Life and Grace. It said e’en thus: when shall I come To see God’s lively face?

Why brag’st in malice high, O thou in mischief stout? God’s goodness yet is nigh All day to me no doubt. Thy tongue to muse all evil It doth itself inure. As razor sharp to spill, All guile it doth procure.

God grant we grace, he us embrace. In gentle part bless he our heart. With loving face shine he in place. His mercies all on us to fall. That we thy way may know all day, While we do sail this world so frail. Thy health’s reward is nigh declared, As plain as eye all Gentiles spy.

Come Holy Ghost, eternal God, Which dost from God proceed; The Father first and eke the Son, One God as we do read.

Man blest no doubt who walk’th not out in wicked men’s affairs, And stand’th no day in sinner’s way, nor sit’th in scorner’s chairs; But hold’th ev’n still God’s law in will with all his heart’s delight; And will him use on it to muse to keep it day and night.

He like shall be the planted tree nye set the river’s course Which forth in tide whole leaves abide all prosp’reth what he does. Not so, not so, the wicked do like dust or chaff they be Upholdt by wind as light by kind from face of earth to see.

Therefore these men so wicked then in judgement shall not stand. Nor sinners be in company of righteous men of hand. The Lord doth know and will avow men’s ways that are of God Where shall deceive the beaten way of wicked men to brode.

To God on high in Trinity, in unity again, Reign, pow’r and praise as due always to him be giv’n. Amen.

The CollectO blessed Father make us to be as fruitful trees before thy presence, so watered by the dew of thy grace that we may glorify thee by the plenteousness of sweet fruit in our daily conversation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Archbishop Matthew Parker (1504-1575)Psalm 1

Man blest no doubt (Psalm 1) is described as follows:

The Argument This Psalme in sence Shewth difference of men both good and bad

It shewth their fruites Their hartes pursuits their endes both glad & sad.

Man blest no doubt who walk’th not out In wicked men’s affairs, And stand’th no day in sinner’s way Nor sit’th in scorner’s chairs; But hath his will in God’s law still, This law to love aright, And will him use, on it to muse, To keep it day and night.

Let God arise in majesty and scatter’d be his foes Yea flee they all his sight in face to him which hateful goes As smoke is driv’n and com’th to nought, repulse their tyranny At face of fire, as wax doth melt, God’s face the bad mought flee.

But let the just be glad in this and joy in God his sight For God’s great pow’r, a stable truth, in mirth let them delight. O sing to God, sound out his name, see him ye magnify, He rid’th on heav’ns, his name is God, in him rejoice ye hie.

He father is to fatherless, of widows judge he is Ev’n God himself, which ever dwell’th in holy place of his. Thus God he mak’th the desolate in households great to grow He lov’th the thrall quite out of bandes and bring’th the wicked low.

To God on high in Trinity, in unity again, Reign, pow’r and praise as due always to him be giv’n. Amen.

The CollectO Lord and Governor, which refreshest thy elect flock with spiritual nourishment of all dilectation, grant unto all thy congregation so to understand thy worthy victory against sin, death and hell, and to honour thy majesty now sitting on the right hand of thy Father, to whome with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

Psalm 68

The second ‘Psalm Tune’ is used for Psalm 68—Let God arise in majesty:

The Argument The Hebrues sang this Psalme in warre, against their foes to fight: So Christen man; as Christ his foes: may pray the same in sprite.

Let God arise in majesty And scattered be his foes. Yea, flee they all his sight in face, To him which hateful goes. As smoke is driv’n and com’th to naught, Repulse their tyranny. At face of fire, as wax doth melt, God’s face the bad must fly.

Why fum’th in fight the Gentiles spite, In fury raging stout? Why tak’th in hand the people fond, Vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, In counsels met thereto, Against the Lord with false accord, Against His Christ they go.

In 1567, Tallis and Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, published a book of psalms translated in English verse, with musical settings suited both for church choirs and for domestic use. The book’s preface claims that the third of Tallis’s so-called ‘tunes’ ‘doth rage, and roughly brayeth’, making it a good match to the words of Psalm 2. This piece later served as the inspiration for Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis.

Why fum’th in fight the Gentiles spite, in fury raging stout? Why tak’th in hand the people fond, vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, in counsels met thereto, Against the Lord with false accord, against His Christ they go.

Let us they say break down their ray of all their bonds and cords. We will renounce that they pronounce their lores as stately lords. But God of might in heav’n so bright shall laugh them all to scorn: The Lord on high shall them defy, they shall be once forlorn.

Then shall his ire speak all in fire to them again therefore: We shall with threat their malice beat in his displeasure sore. Yet am I set a king so great on Sion hill full fast. Though me they kill, yet will that hill my law and word outcast.

To God on high in Trinity, in unity again, Reign, pow’r and praise as due always to him be giv’n. Amen.

The Collect Break asunder, O Lord, the bonds of our sins, that we may be faithfully yoked to the precepts of thy law, to service thee in fear and reverence, to the laud of thy holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 2

Tallis’ third tune is set to Psalm 2 Why fum’th in fight and was made famous by Ralph Vaughan Williams in his Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis (1910).

Why fum’th in fight the Gentiles spite, In fury raging stout? Why tak’th in hand the people fond, Vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, In counsels met thereto, Against the Lord with false accord, Against His Christ they go.

O come in one to praise the Lord and him recount our stay and wealth. All hearty joys let us record to this strong rock, our Lord of health. His face with praise let us prevent; his facts in sight let us denounce. Join we, I say, in glad assent, our psalms and hymns let us pronounce.

For why this Lord is God of might for help at need whom we may call. A puissant king in his bright light he pass’th all Gods by ruling all. All coasts of earth by him do lie, his cells and grounds though they be deep: As fast by him stand mountains high and stoop to him though they be steep.

The sea is his, his work of hands her fall and rise with all her road. The land from her by power stands, whom God so stayed for his abode. O then come we, let us adore and prostrate lie on both our knees. He made us all both rich and poor, both king and slave in their degree.

To God on high in Trinity, in unity yet one again, Reign, pow’r and praise most due to see so mote it be say we Amen.

The Collect Lord of all salvation, behold we beseech thee, the sheep of thy pasture redeemed by thy precious blood; grant that in prudence we accept thy voice to be ruled thereby, at last to joy with thee in thy rest perpetual, though Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 95

The fourth tune is used for Psalm 95 O come in one to praise the Lord. In this Psalm Tallis—or his printer—has allowed a misprint into the edition, using the word ‘health’ at the end of both the first and second lines: Parker’s metrical text clearly uses ‘wealth’ for the first and ‘health’ for the second and this has been restored.

The Argument This cheerful Psalm invit’th our voice Due lauds to God in hymns to sound: With lowly hearts that we rejoice His words to heare as we be bound.

O come in one to praise the Lord And him recount our stay and health. All hearty joys let us record To this strong rock, our Lord of health. His face with praise let us prevent; His facts in sight let us denounce. Join we, I say, in glad assent. Our psalms and hymns let us pronounce.

E’en like the hunted hind the waterbrooks desire, E’en thus my soul, that fainting is, to thee would fain aspire. My soul did thirst to God, to God of Life and Grace. It said e’en thus: When shall I come to see God’s lively face?

My tears instead of meat both day and night they were. While that all day rebukers said: Where is thy God so far? When this came soon to heart, I yet recomfort felt; And trust to lead the people forth to go where thou hast dwelt.

To joy in voice of mirth with lauds and thanks always, Among thy folk when that they keep so high their holy day. Why casts thyself then down my soul: I said no less. Why lay’st in me so painfully in woe and carefulness.

To God on high be praise, the Father first of might. To Christ his Son and their good Sp’rit for ever due of right.

Even like the hunted hind The waterbrooks desire, E’en thus my soul, that fainting is, To thee would fain aspire. My soul did thirst to God, To God of Life and Grace. It said e’en thus: when shall I come To see God’s lively face?

According to the book’s preface, Tallis’s fourth tune ‘doth fawn, and flattery brayeth’, fitting well with the words of Psalm 95.

E'en like the hunted hind The waterbrooks desire, E’en thus my soul, that fainting is, To thee would fain aspire. My soul did thirst to God, to God of Life and Grace. It said e’en thus: when shall I come To see God’s lively face?

My voice and vow thou wilt allow betimes O Lord so free. In spring of day I thee will pray and shall look up to thee. This I may vow the God art thou which hat’th all wickedness. No malice fell with thee can dwell, thou lov’st no cruelness.

Such foolish spite can bide no sight of thy good, lovely face. Thou dost defy their vanity who wickedness embrace. Thou shalt destroy and them annoy, with lies who shame thy word. Blood-thirsty men which crafty renne, the Lord hath them abhored.

To God on high in Trinity, in unity again, Reign, pow’r and praise as due always to him be giv’n. Amen.

Why brag’st in malice high, O thou in mischief stout? God’s goodness yet is nigh All day to me no doubt. Thy tongue to muse all evil It doth itself inure. As razor sharp to spill, All guile it doth procure.

God grant we grace, he us embrace. In gentle part bless he our heart. With loving face shine he in place. His mercies all on us to fall. That we thy way may know all day, While we do sail this world so frail. Thy health’s reward is nigh declared, As plain as eye all Gentiles spy.

The eighth tune ‘goeth mild, in modest pace’, apt for singing Psalm 67. Here the sopranos duplicate the tenor line after four beats, hence the popular name for this work: ‘Tallis’s Canon’.

God grant we grace, he us embrace. In gentle part bless he our heart. With loving face shine he in place. His mercies all on us to fall. That we thy way may know all day, While we do sail this world so frail. Thy health’s reward is nigh declared, As plain as eye all Gentiles spy.